How to Get a Ship out of the Bottle
by ROSSELLA1
Summary: Jack can't quite get the Pearl out of the bottle so he needs to ask an old friend for help. Spoilers for On Stranger Tides.


How to get a Ship out of a Bottle

By ROSSELLA1

Note: I do not own Pirates of the Caribbean or any of it's characters.

"HECTOR!" The pirate nursing a mug of ale at the booth in the corner looked up at the grinning Jack Sparrow, stumbling towards him, and gave a tolerant smile before looking down at his drink again. But fate would not allow him to get drunk in peace. "IT'S BEEN SIMPLY AGES! WE MUST CATCH UP! BARTENDER! A MUG ON HIM!" Jack fell down in the bench across from his frenemy. "I've missed ya, Mate!" He placed his hand over Barbossa's.

"Yes," Barbossa drawled, taking his hand away, "so I've heard."

"Whatchya been up to?"

"Sailin n' piratin', what else?" Barbossa snapped.

"Easy, mate, easy!" Jack held up his hands. "Just trying to catch up with ya'! It's uh... been awhile. You still got the Revenge?"

"Yeah." Barbossa smiled, relaxing a bit. The Barmaid brought over Jack's drink and the mood became more amiable.

"How's it treatin ya'?"

"Oh," He groaned, "she's a Cap'n's dream!"  
>Jack laughed. "I bet so! Lot's of power to? With the title?"<p>

Barbossa smirked. "I could kill everyone in this here tavern just by drawing my sword and willin' them dead!"

The other pirate's eyes widened and he held up a hand. "Whoa there! If you did that we'd both be kicked outa every tavern we went t'!"

Both of them burst out laughing. "Nah!" Barbossa said gulping his drink. "But it'is a good ship." He inclined his head. "Not quite as good as the Pearl, of course."  
>There was a reverent moment of silence and then Jack looked up. "Speakin' o' the Pearl, I been hearin' rumors."<p>

"Rumors?" Barbossa perked up. " 'bout the Pearl?"

"Ah... more about the Revenge." Jack toyed with some rings on his fingers.

"Oh." Barbossa answered disappointedly. "There be plenty of rumors 'bout the goin' round an' precious few of them are true."

"Well, this one I'm curious about." Jack looked up. "I been hearin' tha' Blackbeard used to keep all his enemies ships in bottles. As trophies."

"Aye." Barbossa confirmed. "There be a room. I still haven' worked out how it t'works, I jus' know it does. I can feel it. Comes with the ship, I suppose. Every time I sink a ship it appears in a bottle in a room."

Jack grinned. "So the Pearl-"

"It be no use, Jack." Barbossa brought his fist down on the table causing Jack to jump. " I don't know what happened but when I got the ship someone had taken all the bottles! Except one; it had rolled under a shelf. Otherwise I'd not have known."

"Who would steal from you?" Jack exclaimed.

"Prob'ly that there woman o'yours. Wanted revenge fo' her father."

"Oh, prob'ly. Hey," Jack began casually. "if one were t' want to get one of those ships outta the bottles, how would one do it?" Barbossa narrowed his eyes. "I mean, seems pretty useless if you ask me to have a legion of ships an' not be able t' release them. An' bein' the Cap'n o' the Revenge-"

Barbossa scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Give me the ship, Jack." He sighed, holding out his hand.

"Ship?" Jack's eyes widened as he looked around the room. "Who said anything about a ship? I don't have a ship. You do though, but I don't."

Barbossa growled. "The ships can only be released by the Captain of the Queen Anne's Revenge, so if you want to be getting the Pearl out of the bottle, you won't be doin' it without me help."

Jack pouted. "Fine." He reached into the sack and pulled out a bottle. "Here." He handed it over to the man across the table. "Now get it out."

Barbossa took the ship and examined it. "This not be the Pearl, Jack."

" 'f course not." Jack answered gruffly. "I want proof y' can do it first."

Barbossa rolled his eyes again. "Have it t'your way." He swung around to face the booth's opening and used his crutch to hoist himself to his foot. "We best be goin' out t'the docks then."

"Right then." Jack leapt up and grabbed a firm hold of Barbossa's arm. "Let me be helpin' ya'."

"Oh, I can walk myself!" Barbossa snapped and Jacks sent him a condescending smirk.

"Just tryin' to help!" They walked out to the docks near the Queen Anne's Revenge. "Nice ship."

"Thanks." Barbossa said. "Not as good as the Pearl, though."  
>Jack scoffed. " 'course not."<p>

"Give me the bottle." Barbossa said. Jack handed it to him. Leaning on his crutch, Barbossa drew his sword (formerly Blackbeard's). Placing the bottle down in the water, the man touched the tip to the glass of the bottle. " Rosy Arrow, I, Captain of the Queen Anne's Revenge, release you." There was a cracking sound and both Jack and Barbossa took several steps back as a red ship started to grow next to the Queen Anne's Revenge.

"Woah..." Jack whistled, his eyes widening.

"Convinced? Now give me the Pearl!" Barbossa snapped.

Jack grinned at Barbossa and held the bag behind him. " Let's not be too hasty, mate. We have a lot t'catch up on; it's been a while, Hector." He placed a hand on his frenemy's shoulder. "Your new sword, for instance. Very nice. Can I hold it?" He moved his hand to the handle of said sword.

Rolling his eyes, Barbossa swatted Jack's hand. Sparrow pulled it back with a wounded look. "Nice try, Jack, but the sword only listens t'the Captain of the Revenge."

"Oh." Jack pouted.

"The Pearl, now, if ye'll be so kind." Barbossa held out his hand.

Reluctantly, Jack plunged a hand down his shirt and took out a bottle. Gazing into it thoughtfully, he sighed. With a growl, the other pirate snatched it from his hand. "Impatient much are we?" Jack muttered.

"I been waitin' for this moment ever since I cut off me own leg, Jack." Barbossa half whispered, his attention on the ship. "There she be." He breathed. Gingerly, he placed the bottle on the water. "Black Pearl," His voice caressed the name as he pointed his sword to the glass, "I, the Captain of the Queen Anne's Revenge, release you."

This time both men stood right where they were, mouths slightly open in anticipation as their ship rose from the water. "The Pearl." They whispered in unison.

"Well," Jack grinned, nodding at Barbossa. "Thank you for that but I must be gettin' off." He took a step towards the gang plank only to have a crutch thrown out in front of him. Jack looked up at Barbossa. "Oops... seem to have misplaced your crutch mate."  
>"This ain't be your ship, Jack."<p>

"Of course it is!" Jack shoved him off to the side and hurried up the plank "It's the Pearl. Mr. Gibbs!"

Barbossa steadied himself and hurried up after him. "I lost me leg for this ship and by the powers I won't be givin' it up!"

"I had it first that makes it mine! GIBBS!" Jack shouted louder, reaching the ship's deck. "WE REALLY MUST BE GOING! You have a ship."

"I don't want the Revenge," Barbossa growled. Jack tried to block him from getting on board but Barbossa just whacked him with the crutch. "You take it, take any of the ships or all of them! I just want the Pearl!"

"So do I." Jack growled and drew his sword. "Now off my ship! GIBBS!"  
>"It ain't'yer ship!" Barbossa roared and, balancing himself on the ships edge, whacked Jack with the crutch.<p>

"OW! That hurt!" Jack shouted and sliced Barbossa's arm with the sword.

"THAT HURT MORE!" The Captain roared in pain and he aimed another blow at Jack.

Down on the docks a drunken Gibbs stumbled up to the ship. " Tha' Purl!" He slurred and crawled up the gang plank. He was almost to the top when a round wooden block hit him in the head. "Wha'?" He peeked up on to the deck.

"YOU BROKE MY CRUTCH! GET THE HELL OFF MY SHIP!"

"IT'S NOT YOUR SHIP!"  
>"YES IT IS."<p>

Smiling, Gibbs pulled himself onto the deck and tucked himself behind a barrel. "Ethreythin's back to nomal." He mumbled and fell asleep to the sound of the two Captains fighting.


End file.
